Friction draft-gear.



H. .C. PRIEBE. FRICTION DRAF'T GEAR. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2B. 1918.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

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H. C. PRIEBE.

FRICTION DRAFT GEAR. APPLICATION FILED AUG.28. ms.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918,

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HERMAN G. PRIEBE, 0F BLUE ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

FRICTION DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 29 191%.

Application filed August 28, 1918. Serial No. 251,774.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN G. PRIEBE, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Blue Island, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Draft-Gears,'of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descriptlon.

My invention relates to draft gears of the type. employing inner and outer followers actuated by couplers, rockers individual to the followers and movable thereby, and means, operating through said rockers, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other. This motion resisting means is usually in the form of spring mechanism. I

lt is the object of my invention so to construct and arrange the rockers that they will, in their movements, produce friction to a degree that will essentially supplement the motion retarding function of the springs.

In practising my invention I employ at least two sets of friction producing 'inter acting rockers that are interposed between two springs, each set having one rocker individual to one spring and one follower. The rockers of each set interact through a floating member that is frictionally engaged thereby and which member also preferably operates to maintain the rockers in assembly. In the preferred form of-the invention the rockers also frictionally engage the adjacent ends of the springs which may be provided with specially formed friction producing abutments for the purpose.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which Figure 1 is a sectional view taken generally. on line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken generally on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3'3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view illustrating some of the elements appearing in Fig. 1-but in changed positions; Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a follower and two rockers belonging to different sets and each individual to said follower; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the floating friction producing assembling block or member.

the outer follower is movable outwardly is limited by the outer stops 8. The extent to which the inner follower 7 is movable inwardly is limited bv the inner stops 9. All of said stops are riveted against the center sills 10 that form a part of the underframe structure of a car equipped with the draft gear. The followers 5 and 7' are in the nature of spring barrels which house the co operating spring elements 11 and 12 of mechanism that is employed to resist the movement of either follower toward the other and to efiect the-return of the followers toward the stops respectively pertaining thereto. Each spring is preferably a compound spring comprising one spring in the bore of another. 1

One or more sets of rockers are disposed between the followers. I have illustrated two sets of rockers, each set including a rocker 13 individual to the outer follower 5 and a rocker 14 individual to the inner fol- .resisting mechanism, these springs taking part in opposing the relative movement of the followers by opposing the attendant follower efiected rocking movement of the rockers. Each rocker has a part thereof which is in engagement with the seat provided upon the follower individual thereto curved to form a segment of a cylinder, the seat upon the follower engaged thereby being similarly curved. By this construction each rocker has an axis of rotation which is substantially fixed with respect to the follower individual thereto. The aforesaid seats 5, 7 and the rockers engaging the same are desirably placed upright, in which event the follower 5 may be provided with inner ledges 5 between which the rockers 13 are disposed and the follower 7 is provided with outer ledges 7 between which the rockers 14 are disposed, these ledges preventing the rockers from moving up and down materially.

The floating member 16 is hollow or boxlike and sufficiently incloses the rockers to maintain them in assembly with each other and other portions of the gear in the event of breakage or distortion of the center sills or other parts of the under structure of the gear. 'Opposing portions of the rockers of the two sets project into the interior of the box-like hollow floating member 16 which is disposed transversely of the gear and between the center sills for this purpose. In order that this floating member 16 may also most effectively act as a friction producingmember I divide it into two compartments by means of a partition 16 parallel with the open ends of the member and extending transversely of the gear, each compartment receiving a rocker. The upright marginal portions of this partition are bulged to increase the area of contact of the partition with the rockers. As the rockers operate they rub upon said partition and produce friction that retards relative movement between the followers. The bore of the inner one of each of the compound springs receives the stem 17 of a friction producing abutment 18. Each abutment is in frictional engagement with and interposed between two rockers each rocker so engaged belonging to a set distinct from the other. As the rockers operate, attendant friction is produced between said rockers and said partition and between said rockers and said abutments whereby the motion retarding function of the springs is materially supplemented.

While I have herein shown and particu-" larly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat cut the following 1. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; spring elements, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; two interacting rockers, one rocker being individual to each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and having frictional engagement with said spring elements; and a floating member also in frictional engagement with. said rockers.

2. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; motion resisting elements, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; two interacting rockers,one rocker being individual to each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and engaged by said motion resisting elements; and a floating member in frictional engagement with said rockers.

3. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; spring elements, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; two interacting rockers, one rocker being fulcrumed upon each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and engaged by said spring elements; and a floating menr her in frictional engagement with said rockers.

4. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; motion resisting elements, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; two interacting rockers, one rocker being fulcrumed upon each follower and actuatable thereby, aid rockers being interposed between and engaged by said motion resisting elements; and

a floating member in frictional engagement with said rockers.

5. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; spring elements, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; and two interacting rockers, one rocker being individual to each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and having frictional engagement with said spring elements. Y

6. A draft ear including a coupler; inner and outer followers actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; spring elements, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; andtwo interacting rockers, one rocker being individual to each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and having frictional engagement with said spring elements, said spring elements having friction producing abutments frictionally engaged by said rockers.

7. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers, in the form of iaaaees spring barrels, actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; spring elements within said followers, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the follower toward each other; two interacting rockers, one rocker being individual to each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and having frictional engagement with said spring elements; and a floating member also in frictional engagement with said rockers.

8. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers, in the form of spring barrels, actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; springelements within said followers ione individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; two interacting rockers, one'roeker being fulcrumed upon each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and engaged by said Spring elements; and a floating member in frictional engagement with said rockers.

9. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers, in the form of spring barrels, actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; spring elements within said followers, one individual to each a follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; and two interacting rockers, one rocker being individual to each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and having frictional engagement with said spring elements.

10. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers, in the form of spring barrels, actuated thereby and movable each toward the other; spring elements within said followers, one individual to each follower, for resisting the approach of the followers toward each other; and two interacting rockers, one rocker being individual to each follower and actuatable thereby, said rockers being interposed between and having frictional engagement with said spring elements, said spring elements having friction producing abutments frictionally engaged by said rockers.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of August, A. D.

HERMAN C. PRIEBE. 

